What Those Observer initials Really Mean...
by Michael Saladyga
AAVSO Technical Assistant Inspired by the final stages of the 10-year archival data processing project.
These are real observer initials! (Hint: read across, not down.)
1) The observer looks up at the night sky... AH AHA ARG BOO DAM DUD DUM FIE FOO GAD GAG GAS GRR HA HAA HAR HAW HEE HEH HEK HEL HEY HI HIA HMM HOH HOO HUH MAD MAN NA NAH NAY NO O OH OK OLE OM OMM ON ONO SEE SHH SO WAA WHA WOW YA YEA YO YUK 2) A cloud passes, and the observer contemplates his/her surroundings... COD COW CUD MOO OX 3) It begins to get chilly... ALE GIN RUM RYE VIN 4) And the observing session abruptly comes to an end... GO PDQ PEE 5) It's the end of the month, so the observer begins to fill in the report... ACE BIG ME PRO VET 5) Adding plenty of comments for the comments column... DEW DIM DIN DOO DRY HAD HID LOW RED SAW SUN UP WET 6) And don't forget... UT 7) Meanwhile, back at Headquarters, the mail is opened... ASK AWE BET BEG CON HOW 8) And the monthly reports are logged-in by observer... BUM CAD HAM NEW 8) And at long last, the observations are processed... AX BAD BLA CAN CUT LAX LOG PAD PAN PAP PAR POX PU RAW SAD SOS ...And that's the story of the AAVSO!